Snap-seal.



G. GORDON.

SNAP SEAL.

APPLICATION IILED D160. 1, 1911.

1,102,262. Patented July 7, 1914.

w mnzssas: INVENTOR BY mm OTBNWLM WM M40. ATTORNEY I'NE NORRIS PETERS CO PHOTO-1H0. WASHIKUYUN, D Cv GEORGE GORDON, OF SAGINAVV, MICHIGAN.

SNAP-SEAL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed December 1, 1911.

Patented July 7,; 191 .1.

Serial No. 663,288.

To all whom it may (ion/era.

Be it known that I, Gnonun Gonnon, a citizen of the United States, residing at Saginaw, in the county of Saginaw and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Snap- Seals; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable Others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to snap seals and pertains more particularly to that type of snap seals in which a flexible strap is employed having a hooked end and carrying at its opposite end a seal body into which the hook is received and locked.

My improvement relates more particularly to the construction of the seal body and the hook locking means.

The objects of my improvement are to produce an efficient snap seal of the class clescribed, in which all of the parts shall be formed of a single sheet of metal, the members of which are so folded together as to form a simple and inexpensive locking device that cannot be tampered with without showing the effects of such tampering.

My invention consists in the devices and combinations set forth and claimed, and the equivalents thereof.

In the drawings, Figure 1 represents the one-piece blank from which the seal is formed; Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the blank partly formed, showing the method of folding it; Fig. 3 is a similar View showing the further forming of the seal body; 4 shows the seal assembled; and Fig. 5 is an enlarged section taken on the line a e of Fig. i, the relative proportions of the parts being distorted for the sake of bet ter illustration.

In the drawings, 1 is a flexible strap of thin tin or other suitable material, one end of which is bent to form a hook 2. At the other extremity of the strap is a seal body 3 which consists in a widened part which I will term the base 4, having its lateral edges 5, 5 flanged up. An opening 6 is formed in the base to receive the hook 2. The material at the rear edge of the opening is preferably pressed up to form a beveled inlet 7 to better receive the hook 2.

Extending beyond the end of the base and formed integral therewith is a cover member 8 adapted to be folded back upon and overlapping the base i. The cover member is preferably formed with a raised pocket 9 to contain the hook 2 when in its locked position. The cover member is prolonged to form a longitudinal extension 10, which is adapted to be folded back upon the cover member to act as a hook-engaging member. The free end of the hook-engaging member is arranged to overlie the opening 6 of the base so as to cover the openin The free end of the hook-engaging member 10 when folded, lies under the raised pocket 9. After the hook-engaging member 10 has been folded back upon the cover member 8, and the cover member has in turn been folded back on the base 4, the lateral edges 5, 5 of the base t are folded over and pressed down so as to lock the cover member to the base, the hook-engaging member lying between them and having its end overlapping the opening 6. The raised pocket 9 then lies directly over the end of the hook-engaging member 10.

To lock the seal the strap 1 is bent and the hook 2 is inserted in the opening 6, being guided by the beveled edge 7 of the inlet. As soon as the free end of hook 2 has passed beyond the free end of the hook-engaging member 10, the free end of the hook springs outwardly. The hook is then drawn back slightly and the edge of member 10 is engaged by the hook and prevents its withdrawal.

It will be noted that the seal is locked by the engagenuant of the hook 2 with the free end of the hook-engaging member 10, and that when the hook is inserted, it springs into its engaging position, its free end pass ing beyond the free end of the hook-cngaging member 10.

The entire device is constructed of a single sheet of metal so that any unauthorized tampering with the seal will readily be disclosed by its appearance, for the seal cannot be opened and rescaled without cracking, buckling or otherwise distorting the metal, so that the effects of tampering are readily observed.

l/Vhilc l have shown and described the pre ferred form of my invention, it will be noted that it is capable of being made in. other forms and is subject to modifications in details without departing from the spirit. of my invention.

Having described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

In a snap seal formed of a single piece of metallic material comprising a flexible strap having one end bent to form a hook and formed at the opposite end with a base wider than said strap and provided With an opening and upwardly flanged lateral edges, a cover-member of less width than said base formed with a pocket extending beyond the end of the base and adapted to fold back upon and overlap said base, said cover-member being prolonged to form a longitudinal extension of the same width as the covermember and adapted to fold back under said cover-member and having its free end ar ranged to overlie the opening in the aforesaid base and engage the hooked end of said flexible strap, the aforesaid upwardly flanged lateral edges being adapted to fold over and engage the cover-member to lock between the cover-member and the base, the aforesaid longitudinal extension and hooked end of said flexible strap, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE GORDON. Witnesses CHRISTINE A. BRAIDEL, Jos. RAWLEY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. C. 

